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Coach hails Lingard as ‘the English Iniesta’

Jesse Lingard has been hailed as “the English version of Andres Iniesta” by former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen.

Lingard, 22, has had to wait patiently for a chance at Old Trafford and finally made his first Premier League start for the club in the 2-0 win over West Brom earlier this month.

The player has made eight appearances in total this season as he finally looks to establish himself as a member of United’s first-team squad.

His hopes of becoming a regular at Old Trafford received a boost earlier this month when he was called into the England squad by Roy Hodgson, while his credentials have received another lift after Meulensteen, who worked under Sir Alex Ferguson for five years, compared the young star to the decorated Barcelona midfielder.

“I see him as the English version of Iniesta,” Meulensteen told United Review.

“He has still got a long way to go but that is the sort of player I see in him.”